Blake's Wood
102ac/41ha SSSI
Grid ref: TL 775 064
Updated 31/12/2023.
Available also via books and apps – click here for details.
Mouse over links for pictures; click for detail page.
Blake's Wood is famous for its spring flowers, with sheets of wood anemones giving way to spectacular displays of bluebells, while in summer its more open areas are full of foxgloves. Other flowering plants include yellow archangel, early purple orchid, twayblade, moschatel and wood spurge.
The trees are mainly hornbeam and sweet chestnut coppice, with oak, ash and birch standards, and it has well defined ancient banks and ditches.
Breeding birds include warblers, nightingale, woodpeckers and treecreeper. Purple hairstreak butterflies can be seen around the oak trees in high summer. In autumn the wood is rich in fungi.
Visiting
In Danbury to the north of Riffham's Chase, Little Baddow. From the A414 approach via The Ridge, a mile north of Eve's Corner, or via Riffham's Lane further west. SatNav: CM3 4AU.
Bus services Chelmsford to Maldon and Chelmsford to S. Woodham Ferrers. Get off at Riffham's Lane.
Accessible at all times.
April to June for wild flowers and songbirds; October for fungi.
.jpg)